'I'm Not Big On Telling People What To Do': Nicole Kidman's Aging Advice Is Classic Late-50s Wisdom

Nicole Kidman has lived and learned. During a 2025 chat with Harper's Bazaar, the Australian actor shared that as she had entered her late 50s, she constantly oscillated between feeling like she was five years old and feeling all grown-up due to her life's experiences. While her spirit remained youthful as she continued to engage in light-hearted fun, her mind grew wiser as she processed everything that had happened to her. "I've seen a lot, I've experienced a lot, and I've survived a lot," she said. "I want to pass on some of that knowledge and that wisdom and whatever I've learned. I'm not big on telling people what to do, but I'm more than happy to share." 

Kidman further explained that she had no desire to advise people on how to live their lives because she was well aware that they would only hear parts of what she had said and then go on to do what their hearts desired anyway. Whenever Kidman shared her life's experiences, she let people draw their interpretations from them instead of nudging them to see things her way. The star's views on aging have apparently been evolving for quite some time. 

In a 2017 interview with Allure, Kidman shared that she had chosen to define herself by how confident and healthy she felt instead of going by her age. Kidman had also chosen to define herself as a mother since it was such a big part of her identity. What makes her positive perceptions of aging even more impressive is that she developed them while resisting Hollywood's notions about women's aging.

Speaking to Dojour (via People) in 2021, Nicole Kidman expressed her grapples with how Hollywood viewed women as they aged, saying, "There's a consensus in the industry that as a female actor, at about 40, you're done." She continued, "I never sat in a chair and heard someone say, 'You're past your due date,' but I've had times where you're turned down and the door is shut on you." Research revealing the prevalence of ageism and its impact on health has all but confirmed that Kidman isn't alone in this feeling. A 2022 study in JAMA Network Open found that 93.4% of its 2,035 participants, who were aged between 50 and 80 years, had faced ageism.

However, instead of letting Hollywood's skewed and shallow perceptions of age bring her down, Kidman chose to fully embrace herself as she aged. During her interview with Harper's Bazaar, the star shared that as she aged, she grew to appreciate two things about her physical appearance that she previously disliked: her height and her fair skin. 

With that, Kidman all but confirmed that one of the myths about aging you should stop believing is that your self-confidence naturally declines as you age. In fact, a 2018 meta-analysis of 331 studies covering over 160,000 participants between the mean ages of four and 94 found that self-esteem peaked between 60 and 70 (via Psychological Bulletin). At the end of the day, though, the Australian actor isn't alone in her journey, as there are several other celebrities over 50 who absolutely love the process of aging.